Masochism
by Jaicoon
Summary: “Sorry I don’t have any lollipops or decorative bandages.” “I’m a bit old for needing you to kiss it better.” “Think it would help?” Tonks' voice was thick and slightly lower, two small signals nobody else might’ve noticed. But he did, him and the wolf.


Remus stood in the middle of the chaos, fiddling nervously with his wand as he glanced around. The flat's furniture may have been expensive décor once upon a time. Now it sagged beneath semi-organized clutter. Frowning, Remus watched Tonks scurry and stumble back and forth past the kitchen doorway, rustling through drawers and cabinets. He glanced behind him and saw that the large window overlooking the street had warding symbols scribbled all around it. No surprise she secured her flat so thoroughly, considering the way she'd defended herself in the alley.

"Come on, now. Let's mend you up, Remus."

He didn't answer, just followed. This was the only reason he'd agreed to come into her flat in the first place. Remus trailed behind Tonks down a short hallway, heading into a loo on the left. Tonks shut the toilet's lid and patted it invitingly with a playfully grin.

"Make yourself comfortable," she said, tilting her head to the side.

Animal urge swelled in his chest as he saw her neck offered up like that. And it was an offer, wasn't it? Weakness wasn't intentionally exposed to teeth without it being an offer. His heart sped up, rushing blood to beat in his ears and swell in inconvenient lower places. His mouth watered, making him swallow hard and feel disgusted with himself. Always, always disgusted with himself.

Remus clenched his jaw and sat down stiffly, shifting to hopefully hide the tightened front of his pants. He watched while Tonks unlatched a large wooden box, lifting and sliding open little trays of bottles, vials, and gauze. Her movements were naturally flighty and jerky, knocking over small vials here and there as she sorted through the medical case. She was the perfect lure for a predator, bright and quick. Remus studied her small hands, staring fixatedly as they measured potion into a vial no bigger than her thumb. Tonks moved closer to his forearm, assessing the gaping injury and heating his skin underneath her gaze.

"This is going to hurt," she warned just before dribbling the potion into the open wound. He felt the pulsating burn, knew that it would have burned like hell if he were normal. She hadn't lied about the pain, and from the curious glance Nymphadora gave him, she had expected more of a reaction.

Remus stayed silent as she rubbed a scar-reducing potion over the now-healed skin before wiping away all the dried blood. Tonks had experience with this sort of thing, he realized. He wondered who else had sat here in her flat as she patched them up. A feral curl of jealousy sprang up to claw at his throat as she worked on securing a thin wrapping of gauze around his arm.

"Sorry I don't have any lollipops or decorative bandages." She tilted her head again, lips lifting into a half-smile as she said it.

He had to get the hell out of here. Even if she couldn't feel the air warming around them, he bloody well could. He didn't know if it was the adrenaline from the fight or her thick, feminine scent smothering him.

"I'm a bit old for needing you to kiss it better." His voice came out more tired, less sarcastic than he'd meant to sound.

His comment earned him a raised eyebrow. He waited for her to move back and make a snarky comment in return or, preferably, laugh. Anything but stay this close. She merely looked down at her medical supplies and started sorting things back into the wooden box.

"Think it would help?" Her voice was thick and slightly lower, two small signals nobody else might've noticed. But he did, him and the wolf. His entire body quickened, tensing into high alert. This was something entirely different from safe attraction. He couldn't stay. He had to leave. Now.

"I don't know. No one's ever tried," he said gruffly, willing himself to stay in control until he could get out of the flat.

Tonks tilted her head up to look at him, her dark eyes warm with both sympathy and desire. He was tight and contained as she put her hand lightly on his knee and leaned forward on her knees. She hesitated for a moment, a pause to let him know she was undecided. It was a pause that tortured him with masochistic hope, both that she'd keep going and that she'd stop. Then her lips were brushing his softly. He automatically pulled back just out of reach, stopping her, restraining himself... and then in the next breath, he closed his eyes and kissed her, silently urging more from her. She deepened the kiss and momentarily brushed her tongue against his, teasing a growl from him. Remus pulled at her lower lip with his teeth, just a little nip, just a small taste. Her breath hitched in her chest, a tiny noise.

_Mine_. The word exploded in his head as his mind howled. He couldn't stop himself, lunging for her and crushing her into his arms. He cradled her against his chest, pulling her up to stand pressed against him. She knew who he was, wolf and all. And she was kissing him back, matching his passion and amplifying it, fisting his hair in her hands. _Mine_.


End file.
